Basil Ricotta Meatballs

Try these delicious Basil Ricotta Meatballs! The addition of ricotta makes the meatballs moist, light and tender while the basil adds a nice Mediterranean touch! Serve them as an appetizer, finger food or part of the main course.

I’m really excited to share this recipe for Basil Ricotta Meatballs with you guys! These easy basil-scented ricotta meatballs are so good!!

Solal and I have recently decided to drastically reduce our meat consumption.  We did not become full-on vegetarians but we basically only eat meat about once a week or when we go out.

There are plenty reasons for that choice but it’s primarily for our health. We figured we had plenty of options to get our daily dose of protein without having to eat meat. Plus, I have to admit that preparing and eating meat was starting to disgusts me a bit, especially chicken.

I’m becoming more and more sensitive to what I eat and where it comes from. Admittedly, that doesn’t stop me from trying all kind of foods and eating at small Asian restaurants for which hygiene doesn’t seem to be the number one priority.

So your question is: why is she talking about going meatless and still posts a Ricotta Meatballs recipe? Well, as I mentioned we eat meat about once a week and when we do, I want this meal to be super good!

There’s no way I’m going to cook boring plain chicken breasts or something like that. These Basil Ricotta Meatballs are super tasty not to mention really easy to prepare.

The idea of using ricotta in meatballs comes from Erin from Texanerin Baking. She used ricotta instead of breadcrumbs to make them gluten-free (brilliant, right?).

I decided to use breadcrumbs anyway and added creamy ricotta to allow my meatballs to stay extra moist and delicious.

Apart from ricotta, these delicious and moist meatballs are also loaded with basil, which can only be super good.

You can serve these Basil Ricotta Meatballs as appetizers, with a salad, on top of pasta, mashed potatoes, veggies… I bet they would also be delicious with marinara sauce!

If you tried this Basil Ricotta Meatballs recipe, don’t forget to rate the recipe below and let me know how it went in the comments – I love hearing from you! You can also follow me on Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook for more deliciousness and behind-the-scenes!

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Basil Ricotta Meatballs

Try these delicious Basil Ricotta Meatballs!  The addition of ricotta makes the meatballs moist, light and tender while the basil adds a nice Mediterranean flavor! Serve them as an appetizer, finger food or incorporate them into a main course.

Course Appetizer, Main Course, Snack

Cuisine American, Italian

Keyword easy, Italian, lowcarb, meatballs, ricotta, simple

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Servings 6 people (makes 25 meatballs the size of one tablespoon)

Calories 147 kcal

Ingredients

• 1 lb extra lean ground beef 5% fat
• 1 whole egg
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1/3 cup breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup fat-free ricotta
• 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet (or dish) with parchment paper for easy cleaning.
2. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and mix well (use your hands, it's fun and works better than a spoon or fork).

3. Form meatballs the size of a walnut and line them on the baking sheet or dish. Make sure they all have about the same size to allow for even cooking. You'll get about 25 meatballs if you did your job well.

4. Bake for about 20 minutes, turning them halfway until cooked through. You might need to adjust the baking time if your meatballs are bigger or smaller.

Recipe Notes

You can cook those meatballs on the stovetop as well. Heat a non-stick skillet with 1 teaspoon olive oil and cook them until done, turning them regularly so they don't burn and keep their round shape.

Nutrition Facts

Basil Ricotta Meatballs

Amount Per Serving (4 meatballs)

Calories 147 Calories from Fat 36

% Daily Value*

Fat 4g6%

Saturated Fat 2g13%

Cholesterol 75mg25%

Sodium 115mg5%

Potassium 289mg8%

Carbohydrates 5g2%

Protein 18g36%

Vitamin A 145IU3%

Vitamin C 0.7mg1%

Calcium 44mg4%

Iron 2.3mg13%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.